Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-05-12
anrssOals EBH aiatAt.


e=8 WtEraGaness
NYAuE, N. z, May D. The Rev. George
Il. Bristor is again on the rack of criminal
prosecution. AT 1890 this morning Judge
Oulien's gayel announced the opening of
the special term appointed for the trial Of
the clergyman accused by little Ida
Downs of the Brooklyn Orphan Asylum
of criminally sssanlting her while in his
employ at the Methodist parsonage,
Spring Valley, in December, 1885. The
court room and corridors were filed, and
crowds stood on the broad green lawn
around the courthouse and on the hotel
piazzas. At the opening of court Bristor
took a seat at the lawyers table, and
during the day took copious notes of the
proceedings. He was very cheerful all
day. Immediately after the court opened
Mr.. irving Brown of Haverstraw, associ.
ated with William f.. Howe and Judge
Groo for the defence, moved for an ad-
journment until Mr.. Howe's arrival from
New York late this afternoon. Judge Oul-
len overruled the motion, and the selection
Of a jury began from an extra panel Of
$50 men summoned.
Challenges were frequent, but noon
saw seven men in the box. After the
noon recess the work proceeded. Three
of the men selected in the morning were
excused. In all there were Ga challenges,
most of them by the defence. Fifteen
were excused peremptorily and As were
challenged on the ground Of favor and
excused by the court. At A O'Clock this
afternoon jury acceptable to both sides
was sworn. Their names and residences
are Dwight B. Baker, Sufferin Gilbert
Jones, Hayerstraw; Charles MeElroy,
Mxa h s.N.
Sydney 0dell, Stony Point Louis j.
Ledger, Blauvelt; Theodore Polhemus,
Clarkstown; Frank E. Bear, Mont Moor;
Uriah F. Washbnrne, Haverstraw Henry
Depew, Clarkstown Jacob Gall, Hnver-
straw, and Patrick Sherman, Hayerstraw.
Judge Cullen cautioned the jury with
more than usual care against having com
munieation with outsiders and al 80 ad-
journed court until O'Clock to morrow
morning. Ida Downs will be called to
the stand, and she is now at New City
hotel with other witnesses for the prose
cution. II is said too, that the prosecu-
tion will produce some new and material
evidence against Bfistor at this trial.
Little else is discussed here.
NYAoK, N. Y, May 10.--Not much
time was wasted in preliminaries in the
trial of the Rev. George II. Bristor, who
is charged with ASSEMBLING Ida Downs,
which was continued to day at New City.
William F. Howe of New York and
Judge Groo of Orange county were there
to champion the cause of the accused
parson and Cornelius p. Hoffman of
Nyack al sociated with Distriot-Attorney
Demarest, was the prosecuting attorney.
When Ida Downs, the clergman's ae-
cuser, was called upon the witness stand,
all eyes were upon her. She was dressed
in a dark suit;and wore spring bonnet of
tasteful design, prettily trimmed. There
is an Improvement in her looks since
year ago, and her manner, while retaining
its wonted simplicity, is somewhat more
settled than when she faced Parson Bris-
tor in court before. To some extent she
has overcome the nervousness which
characterized her manner last spring, and
gave her story with less violent emotion.
Her story was practically the same rs
that told at the other trial. She went to
live with DIR. Bristor, she said, on the day
after Thanksgiving-d day, 1885. DR.. Bristor
took liberties with her and she resisted
to the extent of her ability. Subsequently
DIR. Bristor, she said, took her into his
study and told her that il she informed
any one about what he had done he
would have her dashed and put in prison.
Mrs. Bristor, Ida testified, wanted her to
write retraction of the charges she had
made against Mr.. Bristor, and she did so
In the presence of Mrs. Mary Scott, the
washerwoman, Mrs. Bristor and Mrs.
John @. Wood.
The prosecution rested at noon, when
Lawyer Howe moved to dismiss the case
on the ground that there was no corrob-
orative testimony. The motion was denied
and the case was resumed.
Mrs. John o. Wood, the first witness
for the defence, said that Ida had come
to her house and said that she had some
thing awful to tell her about DR.. Bristor,
and then she related TO her the story of
the alleged assaults. The next day, Mrs.
Woods said, Ida wrote her retraction in
her presence, with Mrs. Bristor and Mary
Scott In the room. ffNo one told her
what to write" said Mrs. Wood. After
the retraction was signed and handed to
DIR. Bristor he said, "Now let us pray"
Ida afterwards threw her arms around
the parson and asked him to forgive her.
The next day Ida exclaimed "It is all
true what l said about DR.. Bristor." At
another time Ida said that she had
dreamed 1t all. my husband and side
with DIR. Bristor," continued Mrs. Wood,
land We are not now on speaking terms
with some who have taken sides against
him."
The case will be resumed tomorrow
morning and it is probable that verdict
will be reached on Thursday.